Which decoys for magnet ?

[Longstrider]

I'm just putting the finishing touches to my ultra-light home-made magnet, but I'm wondering now which would be the best decoys to use on it. I have a couple of decoys that have plasticised paper type stuff for wings and a thin fibreglass rod that holds the wings out, but they've seen better days. A mate has a pair of decoys on which the wings are meant to spin as the magnet rotates. They work well enough once you've fettled them a bit, but make an annoying amount of noise.

Which decoys would you guys recommend bearing in mind that the magnet probably won't take the weight of a couple of real birds in cradles ?

[TIGHTCHOKE]

silosocks.

 

Edited May 15, 2018 by TIGHTCHOKE
adding picture

[motty]

10 hours ago, TIGHTCHOKE said:

silosocks.

 

More accurately known as hypaflaps. They do work well.

[dead eye alan]

9 hours ago, motty said:

More accurately known as hypaflaps. They do work well.

Yes thy work ok but are flimsy and damage easily, brested out dead birds are very lite and work better.

[old'un]

As Alan said, a breasted pigeon works well and must weight somewhere around 8 to 10oz (226-284grams) so what is the  weight of the plastic decoy (above picture)? if anyone as got one, be interesting to know the weight.   

[ditchman]

cut off some good pigeon wings....stretch them ...pin and dry them...then add them to a plastic "dodgy decoy"............

[deny essex]

On 16/05/2018 at 10:55, ditchman said:

cut off some good pigeon wings....stretch them ...pin and dry them...then add them to a plastic "dodgy decoy"............

Yep done that myself and it works for use on a rotary, used to use a wire (old coat hanger or fencing wire) pushed through the wing next to the bone in the open position as desired, the body end of the wire bent to fit and hold in a slot cut in a plastic full body or shell plastic decoy. 

Remove the wings close to the body of a donor bird/birds, pin the wired wings to a piece of wood in the desired position and leave in a dry place for a few weeks , but cover them to avoid fly egg laying, a light dusting when in the drying stage with a bug powder would help to reduce any insect infestation.

Transport in a plastic or light wooden box( cigar box type).

Treated right they can last the best part of a year

 But I must confess to being one nut for trying and using artificials, modified or home made, I use hypaflaps initially on my rotary these days.

Edited May 18, 2018 by deny essex

[Longstrider]

It's the Hypaflaps that I already have, although the wings are a bit deformed and tatty these days. Saw some replacement wings for sale for them somewhere a while ago so I guess I'll just hunt those out, tidy up the ones I have and stick with them for now.

Thanks for the help guys.

[kenholland]

two half shells and foam wings works on mine.

[hawkeye]

On 16/05/2018 at 09:01, dead eye alan said:

Yes thy work ok but are flimsy and damage easily, brested out dead birds are very lite and work better.

Had mine about 10 years used regularly they aren't damaged at all few pellet hope but that all they don't stop them working..

And you can set them so the wings flap can you do that with breasted birds ?

 

[Spower]

I've got a pair of Proflap decoys from A1, didn't rate them much so always swapped them for the real thing once I could, but since I've been using extension bars on my magnet it's made them flap far more consistently and definetely seems to draw them in better now. There just a pain to transport in case you bend the wing bars. 

 

[mossy835]

i use the foam ones,just bought 2 more, the old ones faded.they seem to bring them in enough to shoot them.